I’m delighted to welcome Dr Suzy Wilkinson BSc (Hons) MSc MCIEEM, who has joined the company as a Technical Director (Ecology). Suzy brings a wealth of additional experience and capability to Richard Graves Associates Ltd, having managed some of the largest ecological commissions and projects ever undertaken in the UK. She is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and holds Natural England survey licences for dormouse and great crested newt.

After a four year break I’m very pleased to be working with Suzy again.

“Thank you Richard. It’s a privilege to join Richard Graves Associates Ltd, and I am committed to providing expert ecological advice for the successful management of the fauna and flora associated with our client’s developments.

I will use my technical knowledge, specialised in protected species survey and mitigation, combined with 12 years of experience in managing over 100 ecology projects across a host sectors (transport, industrial, education, government, healthcare, commercial, leisure and power / energy) to deliver our projects on schedule and within budget.

I very much look forward to working with Richard and getting another successful survey season underway.”

Happy new year to all of our contacts from Richard Graves Associates. 2014 has been a very successful year for us, growing substantially for the third year in succession. Continuing to provide trusted ecological advice for projects at any scale our portfolio now includes: ecological review and audit work, hospitals, schools and cycle paths as well as several major housing schemes and it looks like 2015 is only going to get busier. Of course we couldn’t deliver all this without excellent support from a network of experts we have worked with for years and clients who keep coming back. Great stuff everyone. We wish you all the best for a productive and prosperous new year.

Richard Graves Associates are pleased to have helped our clients with our trusted ecological advice on over fifty projects so far, which range from some of the largest developments now starting on site in southeast England to helping to get planning permission for house extensions. Our client base now includes: the public and private sectors, charitable organisations and private individuals and we are happy to work with anybody who, or organisation which, appreciates high quality innovative advice and pragmatic solutions for any scale of project.

Our first couple of years have been very successful, with all thanks due to, our now international, network of experts, essential for delivering our ever increasing workload. We look forward to helping out on many more projects.

Richard Graves Associates second anniversary of trading is here already and we are pleased to celebrate another year of providing trusted advice. We have now over thirty projects completed or on-going and, in our second year, have expanded our project portfolio to include: new and extended schools, minerals and transport schemes as well as housing projects ranging from extensions and repairs to large new neighbourhoods with associated infrastructure. Our clients now include: several local authorities, schools, charitable organisations other consultancies, private individuals and contractors as well as small, medium and large housing developers. We are pleased to have been able to help projects get going with our pragmatic, flexible and expert approach. We are looking forward to an exciting and very busy third year and would like to thank all those clients and our colleagues and associates who make an essential contribution to our success.

Richard Graves Associates would like to wish all our clients, colleagues and suppliers a merry Christmas and a Happy and productive new year.

2013 has been a very successful and productive year for us with over twenty-five new projects completed and some of our larger projects proceeding through planning and other requirements, moving towards starting on site. We are looking forward to a very busy 2014 and plenty of new challenges. With that in mind we hope you all have an enjoyable and relaxing break.

Richard Graves Associates are proud to announce that founder Richard Graves has been examined for and awarded the qualification of Chartered Ecologist: http://www.cieem.net/the-chartered-ecologist-register . As one of the first chartered ecologists in the British Isles Richard is proud of this new step in the recognition of ecologists as serious professionals regulated by Royal Charter and looks forward to being joined by all those other who can meet the standard and pass the exam. Richard has also agreed to be an examiner for this important new qualification and looks forward to welcoming many new chartered ecologists to the register.

Richard Graves Associates is very pleased to celebrate a successful first years trading. Our client and project portfolio continues to grow. This year promises to be very productive with two major projects having achieved significant planning approvals and now starting to move on to site and several new projects starting or in prospect. We look forward to delivering for all our clients.

We are pleased to be continuing our workshops: Bat Surveys for Development the Consultants Approach – Ask an Expert, running as part of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management’s professional development programme in 2013. The workshops will be based in central London on the 26th February and 14th November and are provided by Richard Graves and Steve Markham, two of the authors and editors of Bat Surveys Good Practice Guidelines. The workshops will be tailored, on the day to the appropriate level for the delegates with the aim of improving the survey and assessment for bats in relation to development projects. As such it is suitable for those who undertake surveys and those who assess them. Further information on the course and how to book are available via the following link: http://www.ieem.net/events/392/surveying-for-bats-and-development-the-consultants-approach

Welcome to 2013 and Happy New Year to all our clients, associates and colleagues from Richard Graves Associates. Strange to think that in just a few weeks we will have been trading for a whole year. Reflecting on 2012 I am very pleased with the progress so far. Our work has contributed to significant planning and mitigation licence approvals for our clients and has attracted some very pleasing feedback. Over the year we have been able to make sure that protected species are not the cause of delays in getting things built. As a company we have managed to get incorporated, VAT registered and trademarked and secured some very exciting projects, which should lead to our ongoing success. We have also been very pleased to help out on some smaller projects, sometimes finding cost effective solutions others have been unable to. 2013 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for us with plenty to look forward to. We hope it will be happy and prosperous for you too.

Richard Graves Associates has submitted a response to the consultation and has also contributed to the response of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management. The proposals call for the simplification of wildlife (and some game) legislation into a single act, with the Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996, being incorporated into the Animal Welfare Act 2008. Other key provisions including the use of the term ‘reckless’ commonly understood in British law to transpose the word deliberate used in the habitats directive. This term was used in the Wildlife And Countryside Act 1981, as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, but is not included in the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010. A potential appeal process for wildlife licences is also considered, as is vicarious liability. To us the proposals seem sensible and balanced and the review hasn’t found evidence in current legislation that there is much, if any ‘gold plating’ of the requirements of the European Birds and Habitats directives. By being involved in these consultations and keeping up to date with any changes in legislation and its implementation we are well placed to ensure our clients also get the best and most up to date advice.